Anatoly Ya. Shkuropatov

Nuclear wavepacket motion producing a reversible charge separation in bacterial reaction centers

The excitation of bacterial reaction centers (RCs) at 870 nm by 30 fs pulses induces the nuclear wavepacket motions on the potential energy surface of the primary electron donor excited state P*, which lead to the fs oscillations in stimulated emission from P* [M.H. Vos, M.R. Jones, C.N. Hunter, J. Breton, J.‐C. Lambry and J.‐L. Martin (1994) Biochemistry 33, 6750–6757] and in QY absorption band of the primary electron acceptor, bacteriochlorophyll monomer BA [A.M. Streltsov, S.I.E. Vulto, A.Y. Shkuropatov, A.J. Hoff, T.J. Aartsma and V.A. Shuvalov (1998) J. Phys. Chem. B 102, 7293–7298] with a set of fundamental frequencies in the range of 10–300 cm−1. We have found that in pheophytin‐modified RCs, the fs oscillations with frequency around 130 cm−1 observed in the P*‐stimulated emission as well as in the BA absorption band at 800 nm are accompanied by remarkable and reversible formation of the 1020 nm absorption band which is characteristic of the radical anion band of bacteriochlorophyll monomer BA −. These results are discussed in terms of a reversible electron transfer between P* and BA induced by a motion of the wavepacket near the intersection of potential energy surfaces of P* and P+BA −, when a maximal value of the Franck–Condon factor is created.

Substitution of isoleucine L177 by histidine in Rhodobacter sphaeroides reaction center results in the covalent binding of PA bacteriochlorophyll to the L subunit

In this work, we report the unique case of bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) – protein covalent attachment in a photosynthetic membrane complex caused by a single mutation. The isoleucine L177 was substituted by histidine in the photosynthetic reaction center (RC) of Rhodobacter sphaeroides. Pigment analysis revealed that one BChl molecule was missing in the acetone–methanol extract of the I(L177)H RCs. SDS–PAGE demonstrated that this BChl molecule could not be extracted with organic solvents apparently because of its stable covalent attachment to the mutant RC L‐subunit. Our data indicate that the attached bacteriochlorophyll is one of the special pair BChls, PA. The chemical nature of this covalent interaction remains to be identified.

FTIR spectroscopy of the reaction center of Chloroflexus aurantiacus: photoreduction of the bacteriopheophytin electron acceptor.

Mid-infrared spectral changes associated with the photoreduction of the bacteriopheophytin electron acceptor H(A) in reaction centers (RCs) of the filamentous anoxygenic phototrophic bacterium Chloroflexus (Cfl.) aurantiacus are examined by light-induced Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The light-induced H(A)(-)/H(A) FTIR (1800-1200cm(-1)) difference spectrum of Cfl. aurantiacus RCs is compared to that of the previously well characterized purple bacterium Rhodobacter (Rba.) sphaeroides RCs. The most notable feature is that the large negative IR band at 1674cm(-1) in Rba. sphaeroides R-26, attributable to the loss of the absorption of the 13(1)-keto carbonyl of H(A) upon the radical anion H(A)(-) formation, exhibits only a very minor upshift to 1675cm(-1) in Cfl. aurantiacus. In contrast, the absorption band of the 13¹-keto C=O of H(A)(-) is strongly upshifted in the spectrum of Cfl. aurantiacus compared to that of Rba. sphaeroides (from 1588 to 1623cm(-1)). The data are discussed in terms of: (i) replacing the glutamic acid at L104 in Rba. sphaeroides R-26 RCs by a weaker hydrogen bond donor, a glutamine, at the equivalent position L143 in Cfl. aurantiacus RCs; (ii) a strengthening of the hydrogen-bonding interaction of the 13¹-keto C=O of H(A) with Glu L104 and Gln L143 upon H(A)(-) formation and (iii) a possible influence of the protein dielectric environment on the 13¹-keto C=O stretching frequency of neutral H(A). A conformational heterogeneity of the 13³-ester C=O group of H(A) is detected for Cfl. aurantiacus RCs similar to what has been previously described for purple bacterial RCs.

Primary Processes of Charge Separation in Reaction Centers of YM210L/FM197Y and YM210L Mutants of Rhodobacter sphaeroides

Difference femtosecond absorption spectroscopy with 20-fsec temporal resolution was applied to study a primary stage of charge separation and transfer processes in reaction centers of YM210L and YM210L/FM197Y site-directed mutants of the purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides at 90 K. Photoexcitation was tuned to the absorption band of the primary electron donor P at 880 nm. Coherent oscillations in the kinetics of stimulated emission of P* excited state at 940 nm and of anion absorption of monomeric bacteriochlorophyll BA− at 1020 nm were monitored. The absence of tyrosine YM210 in RCs of both mutants leads to strong slowing of the primary reaction P* → P+BA− and to the absence of stabilization of separated charges in the state P+BA−. Mutation FM197Y increases effective mass of an acetyl group of pyrrole ring I in the bacteriochlorophyll molecule PB of the double mutant YM210L/FM197Y by a hydrogen bond with OH-TyrM197 group that leads to a decrease in the frequency of coherent nuclear motions from 150 cm−1 in the single mutant YM210L to ∼100 cm−1 in the double mutant. Oscillations with 100–150 cm−1 frequencies in the dynamics of the P* stimulated emission and in the kinetics of the reversible formation of P+BA− state of both mutants reflect a motion of the PB molecule relatively to PA in the area of mutual overlapping of their pyrrole rings I. In the double mutant YM210L/FM197Y the oscillations in the P* emission band and the BA− absorption band are conserved within a shorter time ∼0.5 psec (1.5 psec in the YM210L mutant), which may be a consequence of an increase in the number of nuclei forming a wave packet by adding a supplementary mass to the dimer P.

Mutant reaction centers of Rhodobacter sphaeroides I(L177)H with strongly bound bacteriochlorophyll a: Structural properties and pigment-protein interactions

Methods of photoinduced Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) difference spectroscopy and circular dichroism were employed for studying features of pigment-protein interactions caused by replacement of isoleucine L177 by histidine in the reaction center (RC) of the site-directed mutant I(L177)H of Rhodobacter sphaeroides. A functional state of pigments in the photochemically active cofactor branch was evaluated with the method of photo-accumulation of reduced bacteriopheophytin HA−. The results are compared with those obtained for wild-type RCs. It was shown that the dimeric nature of the radical cation of the primary electron donor P was preserved in the mutant RCs, with an asymmetric charge distribution between the bacteriochlorophylls PA and PB in the P+ state. However, the dimers P in the wild-type and mutant RCs are not structurally identical due probably to molecular rearrangements of the PA and PB macrocycles and/or alterations in their nearest amino acid environment induced by the mutation. Analysis of the electronic absorption and FTIR difference P+Q−/PQ spectra suggests the 173-ester group of the bacteriochlorophyll PA to be involved in covalent interaction with the I(L177)H RC protein. Incorporation of histidine into the L177 position does not modify the interaction between the primary electron acceptor bacteriochlorophyll BA and the bacteriopheophytin HA. Structural changes are observed in the monomer bacteriochlorophyll BB binding site in the inactive chromophore branch of the mutant RCs.

Characterization of the low-temperature triplet state of chlorophyll in photosystem II core complexes: Application of phosphorescence measurements and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Phosphorescence measurements at 77 K and light-induced FTIR difference spectroscopy at 95 K were applied to study of the triplet state of chlorophyll a ((3)Chl) in photosystem II (PSII) core complexes isolated from spinach. Using both methods, (3)Chl was observed in the core preparations with doubly reduced primary quinone acceptor QA. The spectral parameters of Chl phosphorescence resemble those in the isolated PSII reaction centers (RCs). The main spectral maximum and the lifetime of the phosphorescence corresponded to 955±1 nm and of 1.65±0.05 ms respectively; in the excitation spectrum, the absorption maxima of all core complex pigments (Chl, pheophytin a (Pheo), and β-carotene) were observed. The differential signal at 1667(-)/1628(+)cm(-1) reflecting a downshift of the stretching frequency of the 13(1)-keto C=O group of Chl was found to dominate in the triplet-minus-singlet FTIR difference spectrum of core complexes. Based on FTIR results and literature data, it is proposed that (3)Chl is mostly localized on the accessory chlorophyll that is in triplet equilibrium with P680. Analysis of the data suggests that the Chl triplet state responsible for the phosphorescence and the FTIR difference spectrum is mainly generated due to charge recombination in the reaction center radical pair P680(+)PheoD1(-), and the energy and temporal parameters of this triplet state as well as the molecular environment and interactions of the triplet-bearing Chl molecule are similar in the PSII core complexes and isolated PSII RCs.

Temperature dependence of light-induced absorbance changes associated with chlorophyll photooxidation in manganese-depleted core complexes of photosystem II

Mid-infrared (4500-1150 cm–1) absorbance changes induced by continuous illumination of Mn-depleted core complexes of photosystem II (PSII) from spinach in the presence of exogenous electron acceptors (potassium ferricyanide and silicomolybdate) were studied by FTIR difference spectroscopy in the temperature range 100–265 K. The FTIR difference spectrum for photooxidation of the chlorophyll dimer P680 was determined from the set of signals associated with oxidation of secondary electron donors (β-carotene, chlorophyll) and reduction of the primary quinone QA. On the basis of analysis of the temperature dependence of the P680+/P680 FTIR spectrum, it was concluded that frequencies of 131-keto-C=O stretching modes of neutral chlorophyll molecules PD1 and PD2, which constitute P680, are similar to each other, being located at ∼1700 cm–1. This together with considerable difference between the stretching mode frequencies of keto groups of PD1+ and P+D2 cations (1724 and 1709 cm–1, respectively) is in agreement with a literature model (Okubo et al. (2007) Biochemistry, 46, 4390–4397) suggesting that the positive charge in the P680+ dimer is mainly localized on one of the two chlorophyll molecules. A partial delocalization of the charge between the PD1 and PD2 molecules in P680+ is supported by the presence of a characteristic electronic intervalence band at ∼3000 cm–1. It is shown that a bleaching band at 1680 cm–1 in the P680+/P680 FTIR spectrum does not belong to P680. A possible origin of this band is discussed, taking into account the temperature dependence (100–265 K) of light-induced absorbance changes of PSII core complexes in the visible spectral region from 620 to 720 nm.

Chemically modified reaction centers of photosystem II: Exchange of pheophytin a with 7-deformyl-7-hydroxymethyl-pheophytin b.

The native pheophytin a (Pheo a) in isolated reaction centers of photosystem II (PSII RCs) has been chemically exchanged with extraneous 7-deformyl-7-hydroxymethyl-Pheo b (7(1)-OH-Pheo b) which differs from Pheo a by the C-7 substituent (hydroxymethyl instead of methyl). The two pigments have similar reduction potentials in vitro [M. Meyer, Dissertation, Universität München, 1997], while their absorption spectra show small but distinct differences in the visible region. The resulting 7(1)-OH-Pheo b-modified reaction center preparations were characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography, electronic absorption and light-induced Fourier transform infra red absorption difference spectroscopies, together with photoaccumulation of the reduced pheophytin electron acceptor and NaBH4-treatment. About 70% of the total Pheo a molecules are found to be replaced by 7(1)-OH-Pheo b molecules in modified preparations, indicating that both the photochemically active (PheoD1) and inactive (PheoD2) binding sites were subjected to pigment exchange. The 7(1)-OH-Pheo b molecule located at the PheoD1 site is able to functionally replace the native Pheo a, participating in primary charge separation as an electron acceptor. The Qx absorption band of this modified pheophytin molecule is localized at ~546nm; its Qy band is blue-shifted with respect to the absorption of other reaction center core pigments, being located at ~665nm. The Qy and Qx optical transitions of the 7(1)-OH-Pheo b molecule exchanged into the PheoD2 site are identified at 677 and 543.5nm, respectively. The photochemically active double-modified PSII RCs additionally containing 7-deformyl-7-hydroxymethyl-13(1)-deoxo-13(1)-hydroxy-Pheo b at the PheoD2 site were obtained by treatment of the 7(1)-OH-Pheo b-modified RCs with NaBH4.

Chemical modification of photosystem II core complex pigments with sodium borohydride

The reaction of the irreversible chemical reduction of the 131-keto C=O group of pheophytin a (Pheo a) with sodium borohydride in reaction centers (RCs) of functionally active spinach photosystem II (PS II) core complexes was studied. Stable, chromatographically purified PS II core complex preparations with altered chromophore composition are obtained in which ∼25% of Pheo a molecules are modified to 131-deoxo-131-hydroxy-Pheo a. Some of the chlorophyll a molecules in the complexes were also irreversibly reduced with borohydride to 131-deoxo-131-hydroxy-chlorophyll a. Based on the results of comparative study of spectral, biochemical, and photochemical properties of NaBH4-treated and control preparations, it was concluded that: (i) the borohydride treatment did not result in significant dissociation of the PS II core complex protein ensemble; (ii) the modified complexes retained the ability to photoaccumulate the radical anion of the pheophytin electron acceptor in the presence of exogenous electron donor; (iii) only the photochemically inactive pheo-phytin PheoD2 is subjected to the borohydride treatment; (iv) the Qx optical transition of the PheoD2 molecule in the RC of PS II core complexes is located at 543 nm; (v) in the Qy spectral region, PheoD2 probably absorbs at ∼680 nm.

Coherent phenomena of charge separation in reaction centers of LL131H and LL131H/LM160H/FM197H mutants of Rhodobacter sphaeroides.

Primary stage of charge separation and transfer of charges was studied in reaction centers (RCs) of point mutants LL131H and LL131H/LM160H/FM197H of the purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides by differential absorption spectroscopy with temporal resolution of 18 fsec at 90 K. Difference absorption spectra measured at 0–4 psec delays after excitation of dimer P at 870 nm with 30 fsec step were obtained in the spectral range of 935–1060 nm. It was found that a decay of P* due to charge separation is considerably slower in the mutant RCs in comparison with native RCs of Rba. sphaeroides. Coherent oscillations were found in the kinetics of stimulated emission of the P* state at 940 nm. Fourier analysis of the oscillations revealed a set of characteristic bands in the frequency range of 20–500 cm−1. The most intense band has the frequency of −30 cm−1 in RCs of mutant LL131H and in native RCs and the frequency of ∼100 cm−1 in RCs of the triple mutant. It was found that an absorption band of bacteriochlorophyll anion BA− which is registered in the difference absorption spectra of native RCs at 1020 nm is absent in the analogous spectra of the mutants. The results are analyzed in terms of the participation of the BA molecule in the primary electron transfer in the presence of a nuclear wave packet moving along the inharmonic surface of P* potential energy.